Metaponto is located in the province of Matera on the road that links Potenza and Matera with Taranto. It is partly set back from the 35 km of Ionian coastline by pine forest.
With a population of only 1000 Metaponto is an exclusive resort with lots to see and do. The town is split with two main areas; the village which was founded by Greek colonists where ancient remains can be found, and the Metaponto Lido which consists of a mile of white sandy beach.
Founded by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, Metaponto formed part of the ancient civilisation of Magna Graecia, which once stretched across the bottom of Italy’s boot.The town has a rich archaeological history and has many attractions for tourists including the Archaeological Park with the impressive remains of the Palatine tables where knights gathered before heading off to the Crusades. The countryside surrounding the town contains many archaeological sites, and there is another archaeological park further north that has four temples dedicated to the Greek goddesses, Hera and Athena.
Lido di Metaponto
The Lido di Metaponto is full of traditional seaside entertainment and activities ideal for families.The beautiful beach here is a delight due to its clean, shallow water and is backed by the remnants of a great pine forest.
Riserva Naturale Metaponto-Marinella
This protected area is located close to the Archaeological Park of Metaponto and includes a coastal area and a recently planted forest with classic Mediterranean flora.There are rolling sand dunes here, with typical plants such as straw and marine rush. Particularly important is the natural presence of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, which lays its eggs near the beach from late spring to early summer.
Metaponto Archaeological Park
The monuments of the park tell the story of the ancient town from its foundation by the Greeks until the Roman era.This includes the remains of an urban sanctuary dedicated to Apollo Licio (Lycian Apollo), the adjacent Agora (market/assembly square), the ceramic or Kerameikos district and a regular town plan consisting of long and narrow blocks with a plateia (the main street). The main Doric Greek temples are situated in the Sacred Area and include the AthenaTemple (6th century BC); Apollo Temple (6th century BC); Hera Temple (6th century BC); Aphrodite Temple and the Palatine Tables.The Agora hosts a semicircle theatre built on a previous circular one.
Metaponto Archaeological Museum
An unmissable museum, here you can see the impressive remains of the PalatineTables as well as a collection of finds from around 2000 excavations retracing the life of ancient Metapontum.